Clothesline tensioning device



April 8, 1952 c, P, GREEN 2,591,930

CLOTHESLINE TENSIONING DEVICE Filed April '16, 1949 iakerzfdf 'C 697,951.56 GEL-EN 0 Patented Apr. 8, 1952 UN IT ED S TATE-S PAT ENT 0 F F ICE;

CLOTHESLI-NQTENSIONING DEVICE Y Charles'PJGfeen, Chicagodll'.

Application April-16, 1949; Serial No.-8'7,955-

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a clothes line tensioningdevice and particularlytoa deviceOf-this character which will automatically disengage the clothesline when it is'desired to increase .the-

tension thereon and automaticallyreengage the;

clothes. line to firmly holdit in its adjusted-positionand also to a clothes line tensioningdevice to WhlOh 'thBClOthGS line may be-readily-attached and detached.

There have:been many; forms .of clothes linetensioning' devices prior :to': my. invention which permit the-adjustment-oithe tension of the clothes bybeing insertedbetween the pointsat which the clothes line-is attached-and-provided.

with .various forms of adjustingmechanisms-to takesup the slack of the clothes line-underztheweight of the-clothes hung on the line.- Adisadvantage of this-type of clothes lineadjusting: device is .that, in addition to the clothes line ten sioningrdevice, it .requires. additional hooks for mountingthe line to aopost or side :wall: of--.a. building towhich .the clothes :lineis attached; In addition, the prior .art clothes :line tensioning devices do not permitof easeinr stringingthe.

clothes line requiring the housewife-to ause .various and sundry forms .*-of hitches. to; secure". the clothes line. in position; Furthermore; the usual. hooks for supporting of the clothes'line do notpermit of stringing multiple clothes lines withputrunduesnarlingof the clothes line. It is therefore a. principal object of the inven. tion to provide an improved clothes line tensioning device overcomingthe' objections of the prior-'- art clothesline tensioning devices- Another object of the invention is. .to provideaj clothes line tensioning devicerwhich' permits the-readyv attachment and detachment of the Stillaiurther object ofetheinvention' istov provide..a.multiple clothes line holder fora plurality ofclothes lines and which also .functionasclo'thes. line tensioning devices.

The various objects oftheinvention has been. obtained by a .simpleiclo'th'es line tensioning de"-' I 2.. vice incorporating a base plate. forhorizontally; mounting the device andto which the clotheslineisstrung over .a -pulley.-. Thedevice is. provided: :with .a simple linev holder .which is sym+ metrically. formed to permit tensioning ofl'tlie clothes line depending upon the location of-the. fixed position of one end ofitheli'ne- Theline holder is spring-biased and provided "with a release mechanismwwhich. is also symmetrically 1 formedto .release the clothes line. from either of two directions depending. .uponthe location .or. the fixed position of the clothes v line and which automatically-releases the 11m. holderout of en.-

gagement with the clothes line .upon a slight pull on. the clotheszline to release the tension. The release mechanismemay, be simplymeset permit-i ting .the-line holder to latch the clothes line in positiondwith the :tension thereof. properly; adjusted.

The specific nature ofthe -invention,. aswell. aseother objects and advantages thereof, will becomeapparent to those skilled inthe art from the following .detailed description of the annexed sheets v oi. drawings which, by wayv of preferred example'only, illustrate specific embodiments of the-invention. I

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is-a plan. view of a clothes line -ten-. sioning deviceembodying this invention mountedon-:a-- support therefor illustrating the clothes linein adj usted position;

Figurea2 is a planview of the clothes line ten-.- sioning device of Figure 1 with the release meansthereof:set prior 'to the release of the line'holderto its released position as shown in the dotted line positionthereof;

Figure 3 isa view inelevation illustrating-an other embodiment ofthe invention and showsan assembly of a clothes line tensioning device=- to from armultiple clothes'line-holder adapted" formountingrupon apost or wall;

Figure 4 is a plan view partly in section illus-' trating: the 1 spring *biased line holder construction of the clothes'line tensioning'device;

Figure 5 isa bottom view of the-clothes line tensioningdevice illustrating the spring construction for the latch pin for the release'plate; and-,-.:-

Figurefi is a vertical sectional view taken along the line. VI-VI of Figure illustrating -therelease mechanism for the line holder of the clothes line tensioning device.

As shown. on the. drawings:

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there-is illus-.- trated a clothes line tensioning device Ill swing. ably,.n1ounted on 'a'spindle II 'afii'xed to. a'support bracket I2 which is adapted to be aflilxed to 'a post I3, Figure 3 or other suitable supporting surface. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, a plurality of clothes line tensioning devices ID are illustrated as being horizontally mounted for the stringing of a plurality of clothes lines (not shown), but illustrated for example as in Figure 1. The clothes line tensioning devices are vertically spaced on the support bracket I2 and separated from each other to permit relative movement with respect to each other. Although the embodiment of Figure 33 illustrates the mounting of two clothes line tensioning devices, it is to be understood that it is within the scope of the invention that additional clothes line tensioning devices may be suitably supported on the bracket I2 by providing a spindle II of a proper length to mount the additional devices. Likewise, it is to be understood that when it is desirable to utilize only the one clothes line tensioning device, the other devices may be detached from the spindle iI or left on, whichever is more convenient. However, this is not necessary as the various devices are rotatably mounted upon the spindle II, they may be rotated out of the way when the clothes line I5 is attached or detached.

. The clothes line tensioning device I comprises a base plate I6 preferably fabricated from strip steel by a suitable blanking operation forming the base plate as illustrated in Figure 5. A pulley I1 is journaled on a stud I8 which is affixed at one end to the base plate I6 by a press fit. However, it is to be understood that it is within the scope of the invention that the stud I8 may be formed other than as illustrated in Figure 6 and riveted or otherwise aflixed to the base plate I6.

A line holder I9 is journaled on a hollow stud 20 provided with a hole 2I which permits'the swinging of the clothes line tensioning device upon the spindle II, Figures 1 and 3, inclusive. The hollow stud 20 is adapted to be press fitted in the base plate I6, as illustrated in Figure 6.

Referring to Figures 1, 4, and 6, the line holder I9 is symmetrically formed and provided with cam-shaped surfaces 22 and 23 for engaging the clothes line or cord-like member I5. For example, as illustrated in Figure l, the cam-shaped surface 23 frictionally engages the clothes line I when the clothes line is placed under tension as indicated by the direction of the arrow 24 and with the opoosite end of the clothes line I5, suitably aifixed to a fixed connection, as a hook, for supporting the clothes line at this end from a post or other suitable supporting surface. If the clothes line was affixed to its supporting surface at the end I5, the line holder I9 would be positioned on the left side of a center line between the studs I8 and 20 in the position shown in Figure 1, and, the cam face 22 would then engage the clothes line rather than the cam-shaped surface 23.

The normal movement of the line holder I9 is in the direction of the arrow 25 to latch the clothes line I5 in its adjusted position when the direction of pull on the clothes line is that of the arrow 24 to tension the clothes line. As one pulls on the clothes line in the direction of the arrow 24, with the line holder is in the position shown in Figure 1, the line holder !9 moves in a counterclockwise direction from that of the arrow 25 due to the pull on the clothes line. The line holder, as it is spring biased, functions automatically under the compression of a spring 26 and returns the line holder in a clockwise 4 direction, as indicated by the arrow 25, latching the clothes line in its adjusted position. A similar compression spring 21, Figures 1 and 4, functions as described above when the clothes line is strung so that the line holder I9 is in the dotted position 28.

With the clothes line tensioning device mounted as illustrated in Figure 1, any pull on the clothes line in the direction of the line I5, such as would be caused by the weight of the clothes, serves only to additionally tighten the clothes line in position under movement of the clothes line serving to cam the line holder I9 tighter against the clothes line, as the line holder moves in the direction of the arrow 25. However, a slight pull only on the clothes line from the side of the clothes line indicated by the direction of the pull by arrow 24 serves to disengage the line holder from the cord by moving the line holder in the direction to that opposite of the arrow 25 in a counterclockwise direction.

Referring to Figure 4, the line holder I9 is provided with an annular groove 29 for mounting the compression springs 26 and 21. The pin 30, Figures 4 and 6 serves as an abutting stop for one end of the springs 26 and 21 while a pin 3I press fitted into a release plate 32 and positioned within the annular groove 29 illustrated in Figure 6 serves to engage the opposite end of the springs 26 and 21, as shown in Figure 4. The line holder I9 and the release plate 32 provided with lateral- 1 extending members 32 are journaled for relative swinging movement with respect to each other by the hollow stud 20.

A flat Phosphor bronze spring 33, formed as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, is suitably affixed to the base plate I6 by a securing means 34 in the form of a screw and together with the hole 35 properly aligns the flat spring in position so that the end 36 thereof spring biases a locking pin 31 which is slidably mounted in a complementally formed hole 38 in the base plate I6 to latch the pin 36 to any one of the adjusted positions 39, 40 and M, Figures 2 and 6.

The line holder I9 and the release plate 32 are locked together by the action of the springs 26 and 21 and the pins 30 and 3 I. The release plate 32 and the line holder I9, since they move together, assume the position shown in Figure 2 with the lock pin 3! in the adjusting hole M with the release plate in position as shown by the solid line and the line holder in the position indicated in the dotted line. This position corresponds to the dotted line position 42 of the release means as illustrated in Figure 5.

With the latching pin 31 in the adjusting position 40, Figures 5 and 6, the release means takes the position as shown in the solid line for the release plate 32. With the latch pin 31 in the adjusting position 39, the release plate or the release means 32 will assume a position to the right of the dotted line position 42 of Figure 5. Although the release plate 32 and the line holder I9 are adapted to move together to each of its adjusted positions 39, 40 and M as the lock pin 31 is biased outwardly against the pressure of the spring 33, the release plate however can move with respect to the line holder I9, from the position as shown in Figure l to that of Figure 2 or 90 from the position as shown in Figure 2 to the left. Likewise, the line holder I9 may move relative to the release plate 32 in each of the adjusted positions thereof to the right or left and is free to move in either direction because of the construction of the springs 26 and 21 mounted in the anand 531' respectively in. the-line. holder 1 9i and the release-platen.

With this automatic .release construction provided by' the release plate 32 and .theline holder l9} irrespective of whether the=release plate: is in the position: as illustrated in Figure 4' or Figure 2 01'- 90 from the position of Figure 2; the line holder l9 tends to seek its normal position, for-example: as shown in Figure 4. With the release plate 'intheposition-as shown inFigure 2, the line holder ISi-tends to seek the dotted. line 1 position of Figure J 2; Similarly, .if the release plate is positioned 90- from the positionlshown" in" Figure2 and 'the line holderis in the position 28 aseshownin Figure 1, due to theaction ofethe springs 2B and 21 the line holder IS isreturned' toits initial position, atwh'ich time, the compression of the springs 26 .and'21 is equal.

Referring to Figures 1 to4,inclusive the opera= tion of the-clothes line tensio'ningdevi'ce' will. be

in Figure 2, causes the :lineholder I 9 atoirotate iint" acounterclockwise direction to. that ofathearrow- 25' in the direction of the :arrow' 43; and; the spring- 21' which is under-compression tends to return to itsnormal position asrshown' in Figure' 4 thus biasing. the line "holder. l9i:toits'dottedf position as shown in Figure-2. The-clothes' lin'e is thus released and may; be: readily: detached from thepulley ll.

The action of the clothesline"tensioningccievice' in stringing the clothesline and .detaching;it'-isi substantially the" same as that describedxwith'r reference to .Figuresl and 2-when it 'is'desired'. to I string-the clothes line in the: direction so that the line holder l9 takes; the: dotted: position: 28 as shown inFigure 1 with the"cam'-surface '22 engaging the clothes line: The direction .of

1 stringing the clothes lineis thenopposite to that" described when' stringing and taking downwai clothes line. Startingfrom the position as illus I looking hole 39; The action of the variousztrated in-Figure' i, with the clothes 1ine to which positioned about the pulley I? with the'line 'nolder asshown in the dotted position of Figure 2. The operator n'exi; positions the release plate 32:? in

the positionshown in Figurefl. This movement v causes the line holder I9 to takethe position" of Figure 1 and 'Figure 2with the line .hold'ermoving inthe direction of thearrow '25. Camisurface 23 engages the outer periphery of the-clothes line; and,.since the thickness of th'e'clothes lineprevents theline holder: 19 from assuming the: position. of" Figure 4; the spring '26 is thereupon? compressed.

The operator then may place tension'upon the line J5 .by pulling. on theiline in the "direction of ther -arrow 24. This movementtends'to rotate' the line "holder counterclockwise "to the direction of the: arrow 25 placing additional compression: upon the'spring 26'. This springcompression, however, tends to instantaneouslymove.the line holder 25 in the direction: of the" arrow 25v immediatelysnubbing any movement of the clothes line opposite to the direction of movement of the arrow-24} The clothes line is theniin'its adjusted:- position. Any weight of clothes on the line tends to'move' the line holderli! in the direction of thearrow 2 5, further snubbing' the clothes lihe and preventing any additional movement; Althoughit is. preferred to provide the cam-surfaces 22- and 23 with asmooth surface to -1engage1 the'sun face of the clothes line I5, it iswithin the-scope of vtheinvention that these surfaces maybe suit ably corrugated: to provide additional gripping, surface. I

When-it is desired toi take down the clothes line, it is only "necessary to move the releaseplate 32am the position shown-in Figure-2 if the line. has-been strung in thedirection shown; Thismovement compresses thespringZl to asgreateramount than the springzzfi under the action-of the line holder i8;- Aslight' tugion: theclothes';

line l5=inthedirection of: the arrow flies-shown;

as described with reference .to Figure 1.- The operation is the same wi-th:the exception that the: release plate would 'be'rotatedd 90- from that? shown in Figure 2:with::thepini31 engaging. the:

springs would be opposite to that described with; reference to the action thereof whenrthe lihe' is strung in the direction as described-with: referencetoFigures l and 2.

Although it is. preferred-to mount theeline-* holder and cord tensioning: device I I] in the-*hori- I zontal position shown-'inFigurel and Figure 3;,

it iscto be understood that itis-within' the'scopeaofthe invention that-the line'holden-mav'be mountedto move.in a vertical plane: the cordtensioning device previously 3 mentioned :2 maybe used as a single linewholder 'or as -.a mul"' tiple'line holder as described and illustratedafwitn reference to. Figure 3 Although it. is preferred to use the-line -holder. or clothes line tensioning-device"ofthis-invention' to support a clothes line-to -adjust-= the -tension' thereof; it :is'to be understood thatit is within:- the .scope' of the inventionothat the device 'of thisinvention may Ibe-used to relieve the strain? on an electrical plug-connection -by :transferring the' pull on theelectricalcord: to-the device mounted-on a bracket contiguous to the electricalt outlet to .:which --the electrical plug is 1 attached. It is to be understood-that, when used:-in*i thismanner, the device would obviouslyenecessarily;

be' smalle'r though it would junction-satisfactory ily. Thehparts thereof could also be iabricated of suitable plastic material as compared tothe parts for the clothes line tensioningdevice which arepreferably fabricated fromstandard-=steelz ,sections ormay .-be moldedordie cast from suitable metals and plated to.- withstand the? Weather,

Other. suitable uses of the device-will obviously; be apparent: particularly-where it isdesire'd to" provide a quick release forquickly attachingf'and detaching a cord like-memberiand whereit is.

also desired to readjust the tension due to-ithe stretching=of thecord-like member. By a cord like member, as'used in-the'claimsxis"meant a i clothes-line; electrical cord, rope; .wire or rcable l fabricated either of fibrepmetalorplastic.

It will,- of :course; beeunders'tood'lthat various: details of construction may be modified through:

a wide range without departing fromzthezzprmfeciples-of this inventionand it is, therefore;" not the purpose t0"1lmiti ith'e 1patent' grantedt' hereon: otherwise than necessitated by the' scope.;of the i appendedsclai'msz I claim as: my invention l The -combi-nationwith a cord like memberc Likewise;

and a support to which it is adapted to be detachably mounted, of a securing device for the cord-like member comprising means mounting the device on the support, a surface on the aforesaid means about which the cord-like member is positioned, release means adjustably mounted on the aforesaid means and adapted to engage the cord-like member, said release means comprising a cam-shaped member adapted to engage the cord-like member and a release member, means normally biasing the cam-shaped member and the release member together and permitting movement with respect to each other, means latching the release means in one position whereby the cord-like member is held in its adjusted position by the cam-shaped member, and manually actuated means moving the release means into another adjusted position in which the bias means is rendered ineffective and the cam-shaped member is disengageable from the cord-like member upon a pull upon the cord-like member in one direction which automatically disengages the cam-shaped member.

2'. The combination with a cord-like member and a support to which it is adapted to be mounted, of a securing device for the cord-like member comprising means mounting the device on the support, rotatable means operatively mounted on the aforesaid means about which the cordlike member is positioned, a cord holder swingably mounted on the aforesaid means comprising symmetrically formed cam-shaped surfaces, each of said surfaces adapted to engage the bight of the cord-like member to afl'ix the cord-like member upon a pull of the cord-like member in one direction and to disengage the cord-like member upon a pull of the cord-like member in the opposite direction, and means normally biasing a cam-shaped surface of the cord holder against the cord-like member and for releasing the cam-shaped surface from the cord-like member to permit the detachment of the cord-like member from the securing device.

3. The combination with a cord-like member and a support to which it is adapted to be detachably mounted, of a securing device for the cord-like member comprising means for swingably mounting the device on the support, a pulley operatively mounted on the aforesaid means about which the cord-like member is positioned, securing means swingably mounted on the aforesaid means and adapted to engage the cord-like member about the pulley whereby the cord-like member is affixed in its adjusted position, said securing means comprising a cam-shaped member adapted to engage the cord-like member, release means adapted to position the securing means in one of several positions whereby the cord-like member is adapted to be attached to and detached from the securing device, and spring means permitting relative movement between the cam-shaped means and the release means whereby in one position of the release means the cam-shaped means is adapted to engage the cord-like member and in another position of the release means, the camshaped means is adapted to disengage the cordlike member.

4. The combination with a cord-like member and a support to which it is adapted to be detachably mounted, of a securing device for the cord-like member comprising means for swingably mounting the device on the support, a pulley operatively mounted on the aforesaid means about which the cord-like member is positioned, securing means swingably mounted on the aforesaid means and adapted to engage the cord-like member in its adjusted position, said securing means comprising a cam-shaped means adapted to engage the cord-like member, release means adapted to position the securing means in one of several positions whereby the cord-like member is adapted to be attached to and detached from the securing device, spring means permitting relative movement between the cam-shaped means and the release means whereby in one position of the release means the cam-shaped means is adapted to engage the cord-like member and in another position of the release means, the cam-shaped means is adapted to disengage the cord-like member, and said release means in the position whereby the cam-shaped means is adapted to disengage the cord-like member permitting the cam-shaped means to engage the cord-like member under friction as the release means is rotated to its position whereby the cord-like member is disengageable, and said spring means upon a pull of the cord-like member automatically disengages the cord-like member and the action of the aforesaid spring means returns the cam-shaped means to its normal position with respect to the release means.

5. A securing device for a cord-like member comprising a support member adapted for swingably mounting the securing device, rotatable means about which the bights of the cordlike member are adapted to.be detachably positioned, securing means pivotally mounted upon the aforesaid support member, said securing means comprising cam-shaped means adapted to engage the cord-like member for aflixing the cord-like member in its adjusted position with respect to the securing device and release means pivotally mounted on a common axis with the cam-shaped means, means normally biasing the cam-shaped means and the release means for simultaneous movement about the common axis and for relative movement with respect to each other about the common axis to engage the cam-shaped means with the cord-like member for securing the cord-like member in adjusted position in one position of the release means, and in another position of the release means to free the cam-shaped means for disengagement from the cord-like member by the action of the aforesaid bias means in response to a pull of the cord-like member.

6. A securing device for a cord-like member comprising a support member adapted for swingably mounting the securing device, rotatable means about which the bights of the cord-like member are adapted to be detachably positioned, securing means pivotally mounted upon the aforesaid support member, said securing means comprising cam-shaped means adapted to engage the cord-like member for affixing the cord-like member in adjusted position with respect to the securing device and release means pivotally mounted on a common axis with the cam-shaped means, spring means normally biasing the camshaped means and the release means for simultaneous movement about the common axis and permitting relative movement with respect to each other about the common axis whereby in one position of the release means the cam-shaped means is adapted to engage the cord-like member securing the cord-like member in adjusted position and permitting additional adjustment of the cord-like member by a pull on the cord-like member, and in the other position of the release means, the cam-shaped means is adapted to be disengaged from the cord-like member upon the action of the aforesaid spring means upon a pull of the cord-like member, and said release means in the position whereby the cam-shaped means is disengaged from the cord-like member permitting the attachment and detachment of the cord-like member about the aforesaid pulley.

7. A tensioning device for a cord-like member for supporting and adjusting the tension of the cord-like -member comprising means for swingably mounting the device, a pulley operatively mounted on the aforesaid means and about which the cord-like member is positioned, securing means for adjustably securing the cord-like member, and comprising a cord holder swingably mounted on the aforesaid first mentioned means for engaging the cord-like member to afiix the cord-like member in its adjusted position, and additional release means operatively connected to the holder and cooperating therewith in the engagement and disengagement of the cordlike member in the predetermined positions of the release means.

8. In an attaching device for a cord-like member including a frame structure, a pulley rotatably carried by the structure for receiving the cord-like member, wedge means swingably carried by the structure for engaging the cord-like member on the pulley, spring meansfor urging the wedge means toward and into gripping engagement with said cord-like member on the pulley, and release means on said structure yieldably cooperating with the wedge means for yieldably retaining said wedge means in one position of engagement with said cord-like member and in another position wherein the wedge means is disengageable from said cord-like member in response to movement of said cord-like member 49 toward said disengaged position.

9. In an attaching device for a cord-like mem- 10 ber, a frame structure, a pulley rotatably carried by the frame structure -for receiving the cordlike member, wedge means swingably carried by said frame structure for engaging the cord-like member on the pulley, spring means for urging the wedge means toward and into gripping engagement with said cord-like member on the pulley, release means on said frame structure yieldably cooperating with said wedge means and movable into a plurality of adjusted positions in one of which therelease means yieldably cooperates With the wedge means and the spring means for yieldably retaining the wedge means in one position of engagement with said cord-like member and in another position of the release means relative to the wedge means enabling disengagement of the wedge means from said cord-like member in response to movement of said cord-like member toward disengaged position, and means for latching the release means in any one of its adjusted positions and permitting the adjustment of the release means from one position to another.

CHARLES P. GREEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 244,166 Baldwin July 12, 1881 408,814 Segar Aug. 13, 1889 413,882 Amet Oct. 29, 1889 593,256 Velie Nov. 9, 1897 826,727 Korrie July 24, 1906 2,276,727 Dubuque Mar. 17, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 101,012 Switzerland Sept. 1, 1923 

